asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many applications have been made for security certificates, under section 42(1) of the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1976, each year since 1976;(2) how many security certificates have been signed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under section 42(1) of the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1976 each year since 1976;(3) if he will make a statement outlining the nature of evidence usually submitted with regard to security certificate applications; and on what grounds he satisfies himself that such a certificate is warranted;(4) why persons named in security certificates signed under section 42(1) of the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1976 are not informed as to the grounds and evidence on which such certificates are issued; and what means of redress are available to such persons.

No central record is kept of the number of applications made for security certificates under section 42(1) of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976. However, the number of such certificates signed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland each year since 1976 is as follows:

	Number
1976	Nil
1977	Nil
1978	2
1979	1
1980	3
1981	3
1982	1
1983	1
1984*	3
Total	14
* To date

The grounds upon which security certificates may issue will vary from case to case but will always be strictly related to the terms of section 42(1) of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976, namely, the safeguarding of national security, protection of public safety or public order.The Act does not require the persons named in security certificates to be informed of the basis on which such certificates are issued, nor does it provide for appeal against their issue.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied that consumers in Wales are fully aware of the guidance given in DOE lead in potable water technical note No. 2.

It is for the Welsh water authority to decide in which area to recommend the use of the "flushing policy" set out in the lead in potable water technical note No. 2 and accordingly advise consumers of the appropriate action to take.The note was prepared in 1980 as a short-term guide for particular problem areas until such time as long-term treatment of water supplies is implemented by the authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for each year since 1979 the total amount of money Welsh health authorities have had to write off as bad debts because of private patients not paying their bills.

The information requested is not collected centrally, and it is not available from the annual accounts submitted by health authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he gave to the fact that the organisers of the international eisteddfod at Llangollen had accepted for entry a choir from South Africa before he paid his official visit on 6 July.

I consider that it was quite appropriate for me to visit Llangollen international eisteddfod on 6 July in view of its contribution for almost four decades to the furthering of international cultural contacts.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to ensure vital supplies which are carried by sea will continue to reach St. Helena.

Apart from fuel, all supplies for the island are carried on board the RMS St. Helena. It proved possible for special arrangements to be made for her to sail, despite the present industrial dispute, and she left for St. Helena on Monday 16 July. Although only part of her cargo had been loaded, plans have been made for additional vital supplies to be loaded during calls at other ports en route. No major problems of supply for the island are now anticipated.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the inter-government group on Indonesia to seek to ensure that overseas aid is not reduced by the Government of Indonesia to organisations which are involved in human rights matters.

None. It is an established principle that aid can be disbursed only by agreement between the authorities of the donor and recipient countries concerned. We naturally follow with interest the passage of any Indonesian legislation relating to overseas aid.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the recent report of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation defence information service about shortcomings in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation defences; and whether he intends to use this report as a possible basis for changes in British defence policy.

The document "NATO and the Warsaw Pact: Force Comparisons" highlighted the threat posed by the size of Soviet nuclear and conventional forces. In the face of this threat, the prime claim on the United Kingdom's defence resources must continue to be afforded to NATO within the framework of its strategy of flexible reponse.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to reorganise the Ministry of Defence; and if he will make a statement.

A White Paper, "The Central Organisation for Defence" (Cmnd 9315) was published on 18 July, when I made a statement to the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the numbers of royal ordnance factory staff employed in each constituency in 1979 and at the latest available date.

The number of permanent civil servants employed in the royal ordnance factory organisation operating under a trading fund within the Ministry of Defence—therefore excluding the ordnance factories at Burghfield and Cardiff—at 1 July 1979 and 1 July 1984 are:

Location	1 July 1979	1 July 1984
Birtley	2,198	1,583
Bishopton	2,539	2,087
Blackburn	2,481	2,378
Bridgwater	954	779
Chorley	2,962	2,283
Enfield	1,224	1,125
Glascoed	2,072	1,753
Leeds	1,870	1,577
Nottingham	1,666	1,122
Patricroft	1,513	1,367
Radway Green	2,174	1,787
Waltham Abbey (South Site)	*	331
Westcott	*	483
Headquarters	308	405
TOTAL	21,961	19,060
* Not then part of the royal ordnance factory organisation.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement about the pay of medical and dental officers in the armed forces.

The Armed Forces Pay Review Body has submitted to me a supplementary report on the pay of medical and dental officers in the armed forces. It recommends staged increases in their pay of 3 per cent. from 1 April 1984 and from 5·2 to 7·5 per cent. from 1 November 1984. The average for the year is 4·6 per cent. These recommendations reflect the awards to civilian doctors and dentists and to the main body of the armed forces which I announced to the House on 7 June 1984, at columns 221ߝ27.The Government have decided to accept in full the recommendations in the supplementary report on the pay of medical and dental officers. The report has been published as Cmnd 9301. Copies are available in the Vote Office.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider relaxing the present 20 per cent. rule of the valuation of dairy cattle on the herd basis.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in the light of the imposition of quotas upon dairy farms, he will seek to allow the advantageous treatment for taxation of heard benefits to apply to permanent reductions in cow herds of less then the current prescribed amount of 20 per cent.

I have considered the operation of the herd basis, but decided it would not be appropriate to make changes to the rules determining whether profits on the sale of production animals are brought to account for tax purposes. In the light of the imposition of milk quotas, I decided to amend clause 47 of the Finance Bill to allow fresh elections for the herd basis, permitted under subsection (6) of the clause, to take effect for periods earlier than originally proposed. The House agreed to the necessary amendment during Report stage of the Finance Bill last week.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures to show, for each of the past five financial years, the relative proportions of all public money spent per year in England, Scotland and Wales.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to increase the maximum penalty for fraudulent evasion of value added tax contrary to section 38 of the Finance Act 1972.

I shall let my hon. and learned Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchquer why he has reclassified the construction of a road on the same ground as the previous road as attracting the standard rate of value added tax; and if he will return to the previous interpretation.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 July 1984]: The intention of my right hon. Friend's Budget proposal was to extend value added tax from repairs and maintenance to all alterations to buildings and to civil engineering works. Zero-rating is continued for new construction, but the Finance Bill specified that this term is not to include the reconstruction, alteration or enlargement of existing work. The work referred to by my hon. Friend would constitute reconstruction, and I am afraid I could not agree to reverting to the pre-Budget position for road works.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts if he will place in the Library documents relating to the implementation of the financial management initiative within the Office of Arts and Libraries.

Increases in the Numbers of Employees in Employment Between June each Year
Standard Industrial Classification 1980
	1973–74		1974–75		1975–76		1976–77		1977–78
	Absolute (000s)	Per cent.	Absolute (000s)	Per cent.	Absolute (000s)	Per cent.	Absolute (000s)	Per cent.	Absolute (000s)	Per cent.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Coal, oil and natural gas extraction and processing	—	—	4	1·1	—	—	3	0·9	5	1·4
Electricity, gas, other energy and water supply	1	0·3	6	1·7	—	—	—	—	—	—
Metal manufacturing, ore and other mineral extraction	—	—	—	—	—	—	12	1·7	—	—
Chemicals and man-made fibres	12	2·8	—	—	—	—	7	1·7	3	0·7
Mechanical engineering	13	1·3	—	—	—	—	—	—	13	1·3
Office machinery, electrical engineering and instruments	35	3·5	—	—	—	—	15	1·6	2	0·2
Motor vehicles and parts	—	—	—	—	—	—	16	3·6	7	1·5
Other transport equipment	4	1·0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Metal goods not elsewhere specified	3	0·5	—	—	—	—	11	2·2	4	0·8
Food, drink and tobacco	12	1·6	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Textiles, leather, footwear and clothing	—	—	—	—	—	—	8	0·9	—	—
Timber, wooden furniture, rubber, plastics, etc.	1	0·2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Paper products, printing and publishing	15	2·6	—	—	—	—	—	—	4	0·7
Construction	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Wholesale distribution and repairs	2	0·2	1	0·1	—	—	20	2·0	27	2·6
Retail distribution	—	—	—	—	—	—	27	1·3	11	0·5
Hotels and catering	13	1·6	22	2·7	24	2·9	13	1·5	20	2·3
Transport	—	—	7	0·7	—	—	5	0·5	19	1·9
Postal services and telecommunications	—	—	5	1·2	—	—	—	—	—	—
Banking, finance, insurance	51	3·6	—	—	4	0·3	24	1·6	52	3·5
Public administration and defence*	26	1·4	76	4·1	—	—	—	—	9	0·5
Education	63	4·5	70	4·8	47	3·1	—	—	6	0·4
Medical and other health services; veterinary services	26	2·6	80	7·8	29	2·6	9	0·8	21	1·8
Other services†	3	0·3	53	5·0	53	4·8	9	0·8	37	32

	1978–79		1979–80		1980–81		1981–82		1982–83
	Absolute (000s)	Per cent.	Absolute (000s)	Per cent.	Absolute (000s)	Per cent.	Absolute (000s)	Per cent.	Absolute (000s)	Per cent.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	0·6	—	—
Coal, oil and natural gas extraction and processing	—	—	1	0·3	—	—	—	—	—	—
Electricity, gas, other energy and water supply	8	2·3	4	1·1	—	—	—	—	—	—
Metal manufacturing, ore arid other mineral extraction	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Chemicals and man-made fibres	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Mechanical engineering	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Office machinery, electrical engineering and instruments	12	1·3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Motor vehicles and parts	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Other transport equipment	44	11·3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Metal goods not elsewhere specified	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Food, drink and tobacco	1	0·1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Textiles, leather, footwear and clothing	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Timber, wooden furniture, rubber, plastics, etc.	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Paper products, printing and publishing	9	1·7	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Construction	45	3·8	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Wholesale distribution and repairs	41	3·9	35	3·2	—	—	12	1·1	18	1·6
Retail distribution	72	3·5	1	‡	—	—	—		22	1·1
Hotels and catering	51	5·7	28	3·0	—	—	32	3·4	—	—
Transport	3	0·3	—	—	—	—	—.	—	—	—

The Office of Arts and Libraries became a freestanding Department only last year. It is now in the process of developing plans for action under the financial management initiative, with particular reference to the implications of its new status for its relationship with the non-departmental public bodies for which it is responsible. Any publicly available documents produced in consequence of this work will be placed in the Library in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in which sectors of the economy, and in which years since 1973, employment has increased; and by how much, both absolutely and as a percentage of total employment in that sector.

The following table gives, for the years from 1973 to 1983, the information for those industries — analysed according to the 1980 standard industrial classification — in which the numbers of employees in employment in Great Britain increased between one June and the next.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of members of disablement advisory committees has physical or other disabilities.

This information is not available. Members of committees for the employment of disabled people—which replaced disablement advisory committees in 1981—are not required to disclose any physical or other disability.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if unemployment benefit offices are able to arrange home visits to claimants in sparsely populated rural areas where transport to offices is difficult.

It is not normally necessary to visit unemployment benefit claimants at home, but this can be arranged if attendance at the nearest office would cause hardship and the matter cannot be dealt with by post.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his Department's policy towards provision of unemployment benefit forms by post to claimants in sparsely populated rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

People who live more than six miles from the nearest unemployment benefit office can make their regular claims to unemployment benefit by post. They are given books of claim forms when they first claim at the office and when they attend at quarterly intervals. These quarterly attendances can be replaced by a postal confirmation of unemployment in exceptional circumstances.Those who live more than 10 miles away can also be issued with forms to make their initial claim by post.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is proposing to make any change in the level of the youth training scheme allowance and grants.

I have decided, in accordance with the recommendations of the Manpower Services Commission, that from 1 September this year the weekly allowance to trainees on the youth training scheme should be increased by 5 per cent. to £26·25; that the mode A annual grant covering the trainee allowance and the contribution to employers' training costs should be increased to £1,950, with the managing agent's fee remaining at £100; and that the grants for mode B schemes should be increased in line with the increases in the mode A grant. These changes will help towards the continued success of the scheme in providing high quality training for eligible 16 and 17-year-old school and college leavers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men applying for entry clearance in the Indian sub-continent in the first and second quarters of 1984 as (a) husbands and (b) fiancés were refused (i) wholly and (ii) partly because the primary purpose of the marriage was held to be immigration to the United Kingdom.

In the first quarter of 1984 in the Indian sub-continent, 60 husbands and 190 fiancés were refused entry clearance under the 1983 immigration rules solely because the primary purpose of the marriage was to obtain admission to the United Kingdom, and a further 30 fiancés were refused partly because of this reason. Data for the second quarter of 1984 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to the reply on 5 July, Official Report, column 217, about demonstrations outside embassies, when the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis gave the new instructions to his officers.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 19 July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis made representations to him concerning the application of the Vienna convention to demonstrations outside embassies.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug addicts were notified to him in each police authority area in 1982 and 1983.

The numbers of new and former narcotic drug addicts notified to the Home Office in 1982 in each police force area were published in table 15 of "Statistics of the Misuse of Drugs, United Kingdom, Supplementary Tables, 1982", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. Corresponding provisional figures for 1983 are given in the table.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those released on parole on (a) their first application, (b) their second application and (c) their third or subsequent application have been recalled in each of the last five years.

Of prisoners released on parole during 1983 at the first consideration, and not deported, about 3 per cent. were recorded on 16 July as having been recalled; of those released at the second consideration or at the third or later consideration, about 5 per cent. were recorded on that date as having been recalled. Corresponding information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library documents relating to the implementation of the financial management initiative within his Department.

Our published documents increasingly reflect the steps we are taking to improve financial management. I would mention in particular the following publications, copies of which are in the Library: "Criminal Justice: A Working Paper" (May 1984); "A Report on the Work of the Immigration and Nationality Department' (July 1984); "Report of HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary 1983 (July 1984, HC 528).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters his Department has received from (a) hon. Members and (b) other sources expressing concern over threats or actual violence occasioned within the middle east community in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Precise information is not available, but over 70 letters have been received from hon. Members during the last five years on this subject, and many more have been received from members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now list all animal experiments carried out in medical research.

The available information is contained in the annual "Statistics of Experiments on Living Animals for Great Britain 1983" (Cmnd. 9311), a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why prisoners in Wandswoth prison studying for mathematics O-level are not allowed a calculator.

At Wandswoth prison calculators are provided at public expense for use in classrooms. A student who wishes to study in his cell and whose studies justify the use of a calculator may, with the permission of the governor, buy and use his own machine.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give, for each year since 1970, the number of visitors to the United Kingdom who stated to immigration authorities that they had come to receive medical treatment.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drivers have taken the option of a blood or urine test after an initial test with a Lion intoximeter was introduced on 16 April; what proportion of the total number of drivers stopped this represents; and if he has any evidence yet of the relationship between blood or urine test results and Lion intoximeter 3000 results.

The data that have so far been processed centrally show that of those providing a breath test on the Intoximeter 3000, since 16 April 1984, 3,753, or 39 per cent. have opted to provide a blood/urine specimen. Figures are not yet available as to the number of persons stopped and breathalysed at the roadside for this period. It is too early to draw conclusions from the data so far processed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis replies in substantive form forthwith to the correspondence he has had with Messrs. Douglas Goldberg and Co. on behalf of His Excellency the Kuwaiti ambassador to Germany in which he was asked on 30 September 1983, 14 October 1983, 13 December 1983, 16 December 1983, 23 March 1984, 13 April 1984, 21 June 1984 and 3 July 1984 to supply certain information.

The Commissioner informs me that a copy of the police report on the road accident involving His Excellency the Kuwaiti ambassador to West Germany, which was requested by Messrs Douglas Goldberg and Co., was forwarded on 5 April 1984. I understand that a reply was sent to the subsequent correspondence, which related to points arising from the police report, on 17 July 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the first draft of the code of practice for the exercise of police powers of stop and search for which the Police and Criminal Evidence Bill will provide if enacted.

Copies have today been placed in the Library of the House and in the Vote Office. Copies are also being sent to interested bodies and individuals, for whose comments we shall be grateful.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the average period between remand and trial for prisoners refused bail and charged with terrorist-type offences in Great Britain in each year since 1973; and how many persons were charged with such offences in each year.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 July 1984, c. 482–83.]: The only information which is readily available is given in the table. It relates to those who were still in custody in England and Wales on 1 July 1984 and in category A and does not cover those prisoners who had been released or who had been removed from category A. Thus, the figures do not provide a comprehensive indication of the total number of prisoners charged with terrorist-type offences.

Prisoners in prison department establishments in England and Wales on 1 July 1984 on category A who had been charged with or convicted of terrorist-type offences
Year of first reception into custody on remand	Number of persons	Average period, in weeks, between date of first reception and date of conviction*
1973	5	35
1974	23	36
1975	13	50
1976	4	49
1977	1	32
1978	4	35
1979	4	58
1980	6	30
1981	2	27
1982	6	49
1983	1	†—
1 January to 30 June 1984	9	†—
* Approximate figures
† Not available; not yet come to trial

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what change there has been in real terms in the price of coal produced in the United Kingdom since 1979; and how this compares with the changes in coal prices in real terms in other coal-producing members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development over the same period, from information available from international sources.

The percentage change in real terms in the price of coal for the domestic and industrial sectors of the United Kingdom and other coal-producing members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development between 1979 and 1983, the latest period for which data are available, is given in the following table.

	Percentage change in the price of coal in real terms 1979–83
	Industrial sector percentage	Domestic sector percentage
Australia	+95·9	n.a.
Belgium	+85·6	+32·1
Canada	-3·6	n.a.
Denmark	+11·7	+33·6
France	+25·8	+42·8
Germany	+21·3	+13·0
Italy	+9·5	-5·9
Japan	+22·4	n.a.
Norway	+11·1	+10·4
Sweden	-24·3	+10·2
United Kingdom	+25·4	*+10·0
United States of America	-9·8	n.a.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to the number of power stations still in use which were built with the use of large quantities of asbestos in their construction.

I am informed by the Central Electricity Generating Board that 67 operational power stations had large quantities of asbestos used in their construction.

asked the Attorney-General whether blind people are still excluded from the magistracy; and whether he has any plans to reverse this practice.

At the beginning of 1978 the then Lord Chancellor, Lord Elwyn-Jones, explained and confirmed that blind persons are ineligible for appointment to the magistracy. There can be no change in this position. Unfortunately, the need for personal observation by justices not only of parties to proceedings and witnesses but also of documents, reports and plans renders it impossible in the interests of justice to appoint blind persons. Similar reasons apply to those who, by reason of deafness, are unable to hear oral testimony.

asked Attorney-General what were the reasons for the 18-month delay between the completion of the police investigation into the sale of blood from certain hospitals by Dr. M. Patterson, and his subsequent prosecution.

There was not a delay of 18 months between the completion of the police investigation and the prosecution of Dr. Patterson. The Director of Public Prosecutions wrote to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on 16 March 1982 requesting that inquiries be made. The investigation took approximately 13 months and proceedings were commenced against him on 29 April 1983. The police investigation was of necessity extensive in a difficult matter such as this, involving inquiries in Denmark and the United States of America, as well as in this country. The Director of Public Prosecutions advised the police on the conduct and direction of the inquiry throughout the investigation. In all, four police reports were submitted to him during the period, the last of which was received on 6 April 1983. Proceedings were commenced three weeks thereafter.Dr. Patterson was committed for trial on 23 July 1983 and the trial commenced at the central criminal court on 30 April 1984. Sadly, this is by no means an unusual delay for cases heard at the central criminal court.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of spending during the last 12 months on health education in Scotland relating to the effects of smoking.

In the year ended 31 March 1984, the latest period for which information is available, the Scottish Health Education Group spent approximately £355,000 on publicity and publicity material connected with smoking and health. No information is held centrally about comparable expenditure by health boards.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the numbers of Forestry Commission staff employed in his Department by constituency for 1979 and the latest available date.

On 31 March 1979 the Forestry Commission employed 8,323 industrial and non-industrial staff in Great Britain. The figure at 30 June 1984 was 6,958. Staff records are not maintained on the basis of parliamentary constituencies.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people came on to the unemployment register in Scotland during each month for the period 10 June 1983 to June 1984.

The numbers of unemployed people who became benefit claimants during each month from 10 June 1983 to June 1984 are as follows:

Period	Total
10 June to 14 July 1983	52,221
15 July to 11 August 1983	34,620
12 August to 8 September 1983	53,550
9 September to 13 October 1983	52,865
14 October to 10 November 1983	38,505
11 November to 8 December 1983	34,928
9 December 1983 to 12 January 1984	49,740
13 January to 9 February 1984	36,641
10 February to 8 March 1984	31,203
9 March to 5 April 1984	33,226
6 April to 10 May 1984	41,249
11 May to 14 June 1984	45,166

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each year since 1979 the total amount of money Scottish health boards have had to write off as bad debts because of private patients not paying their bills.

The information requested is as follows:

	£
1979–80	960
1980–81	3,201
1981–82	6,182
1982–83	4,907

The figure for 1983–84 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number and value of offers of regional assistance made to companies in the Strathclyde region and in Inverclyde for the last month for which statistics are available.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 July 1984, c. 243]: In the month of June 1984, 13 offers of assistance, totalling £2·1 million, were made under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 for projects in Strathclyde region. There were no offers for projects in Inverclyde district during the period.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the relationship between the technical and vocational education initiative, the certificate for pre-vocational efficiency, AS-level and the youth training scheme with regard to the education of young people.

The initiatives to which my hon. Friend refers are all intended to improve the relevance and breadth of the education and training opportunities available to young people in the transition from school to adult and working life in a technological society. They cater, in different ways, for different but overlapping client groups.The proposed AS-level examinations are intended for young people following a traditional academic pathway through A-levels with a view to higher education, and are intended to give greater breadth and balance to the sixth form curriculum.The technical and vocational education initiative offers a pathway to young people of 14-plus of all abilities who are at that stage ready to undertake a vocationally orientated four-year course which may lead, as appropriate, to a variety of nationally recognised qualifications.The proposed certificate for pre-vocational education is intended as a qualification for young people not undertaking the A-level route, who at 16 opt for a one-year full-time course and for whom pre-vocational study is most appropriate.The youth training scheme offers those who leave full-time education at 16 or 17 and remain unemployed, and to some 16-year-olds in jobs, the opportunity of a year's planned work experience and training. The scheme is work-based and is designed to improve school leavers' chances of gaining jobs.The Government aim to define standards of performance and to develop a system of certification which can be applied to both YTS and to pre-vocational courses in schools and further education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the total expenditure by local education authorities on adult education in each of the years 1973 to 1983; and what proportion this forms of their total educational expenditure.

Total net expenditure on adult education by local education authorities in England during the period 1972–73 to 1982–83 and that expenditure as a proportion of their total net education expenditure was as follows:

Financial Year	Net Expenditure on Adult Education	AE expenditure as a percentage of total net expenditure
	(1)	(2)
	£ million (cash)	Per cent.
1972–73	15·2	0·62
1973–74	16·8	0·59
1974–75	24·6	0·63
1975–76	34·0	0·68
1976–77	35·4	0·63
1977–78	35·0	0·57
1978–79	44·4	0·65
1979–80	52·4	0·67
1980–81	60·2	0·64
1981–82	69·3	0·67
1982–83	79·4	0·73

The figures in column (1) do not include expenditure on adult and continued education provided in polytechnics or other maintained further education establishments since such expenditure is not separately identifiable in the expenditure returns submitted by authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the figures of his Department's expenditure on adult education in the years 1973 to 1983 and the proportion this forms of his Department's total expenditure.

The information for the financial years 1977–78 to 1983–84 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much local education authorities paid for places in non-special independent schools in 1982–83.

The information is not available in the form requested, but the total local education authority expenditure on services provided by non-maintained educational institutions, excluding special education, in 1982–83 was £25 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to train more mathematics teachers, especially for girls.

In setting the intakes to initial teacher training courses from 1983 to 1985 I allocated an increased share of places for the training of secondary school teachers to those specialising in mathematics. In 1983 almost all available places in mathematics were filled, and more than 40 per cent. of recruits were women. The Department also makes grants to local education authorities for in-service training in mathematics.Students in training should be prepared for teaching both girls and boys. The Department's criteria for the approval of initial training courses draw attention to the need for students to learn how to guard against preconceptions based on the sex of pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he is giving to the teaching profession about smoking in the classroom.

None. It is for local authorities, head teachers and school governing bodies to decide whether smoking by teachers in the classroom should be discouraged or disallowed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what response he has made to letters he has received from postgraduate students complaining about the supervision or assessment of studies leading to doctoral degrees; and how many such letters he has received during each year he has been in office.

Universities are self-governing institutions subject to the provisions of their charters or Acts of Parliament. If a complainant remains dissatisfied after the appeal processes within a university have been exhausted, he has recourse to the visitor. This is the advice that the Department has given to such complaints as have been received. Yearly figures for the numbers of such complaints are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many physically handicapped, hearing-impaired, blind or partially sighted teachers there are in (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools and (c) colleges of higher education.

This information is not available centrally.

asked whether the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in the light of the Government's policy for integrated education, his Department has recommended or will encourage positive action in educational establishments to increase the numbers of disabled staff employed.

The selection of staff for educational establishments is a matter for the local authority or other body responsible for the establishment. Subject to any statutory requirements or other specific obligations, I hope that in filling any post employers would look for the most suitable person from among those available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department will be offering support to the Enid Blyton trust for a children's national information centre and library for handicapped children.

The trustees were informed on 8 March that the Department had no funds at present with which to assist this venture.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the Governments with which Her Majesty's Government have agreements, of which, like the memorandum of understanding with Oman, the details are confidential between the two Governments.

We have memoranda of understanding, or similar arrangements not constituting international agreements, with those Governments in whose countries British military personnel are serving on loan. At 31 March this year, British armed forces personnel were on loan to 30 countries or territories overseas. These were listed in the reply of my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Mr. Soames) on 20 March at column 447. Bahrain should now be added to that list.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiative the Government, being a guarantor power, propose to take in response to the presence of Greek troops in Cyprus in excess of the numbers agreed for Greece.

The treaty of guarantee contains no specific restrictions or other provisions regarding the stationing of troops by the guarantor powers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will visit both northern and southern Cyprus when he next visits the island of Cyprus.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no immediate plans to visit Cyprus.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what restrictions apply to the approximately 250 permanent United Kingdom residents now living in northern Cyprus.

Those United Kingdom citizens resident in northern Cyprus who entered the country by northern Cyprus and who settled after 1974 are subject to restrictions on movement to the southern part of the island. All residents in northern Cyprus suffer from the inevitable consequences of living in a divided island.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he proposes to overcome the refusal of the Greek Cypriot postal authorities to deliver post to British residents in northern Cyprus.

The disruption of postal communications is one aspect of the Cyprus problem to which we seek a peaceful, just and lasting solution. We understand, however, that most United Kingdom citizens resident in northern Cyprus are able to make arrangements to receive their post.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the period of time in practice that a British tourist has to be in Gibraltar before he can cross the border into Spain (a) at present and (b) in December 1983.

At present Spaniards, British and Gibraltar residents on the Rock, Gibraltarians resident in Spain and their immediate relatives are allowed to cross the border on foot once a day. So far as we are aware it has not been Spanish practice to allow people outside these categories to cross either now or in December 1983. The border has, of course, always been fully open on the Gibraltar side.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money the Government paid in 1982–83 to independent schools in the form of boarding allowances in respect of the education of the children of diplomatic staff.

The total cost to the diplomatic service wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including communications departments, in 1982–83 for boarding school allowances was £7,465,177.The 1982–83 costs reflect a change in the method and timing of payment from monthly to termly in advance. As a once and for all result, the equivalent of 15 months' payments were made in the 12-month period.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the sale by Yarrow Shipbuilders of two military supply ships to the Government of Iran.

These ships are unarmed support vessels. The contract for them was originally place with Yarrow Shipbuilders by the previous Iranian Government before the revolution. Work on them continues in the Yarrow shipyards.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he received any representations from the United States Government about the possible sale of two military supply ships to the Government of Iran.

We remain in close contact with the United States Government, and with other friendly countries, over all aspects of the Gulf situation. The United States Government are aware of our position on the two unarmed support ships on which Yarrow Shipbuilders is working as the result of a contract originally placed before the revolution in Iran.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the term, non-lethal equipment, in relation to arms supplies to Iran, covers military supply ships designed and commissioned to carry tanks, troops and guns.

Applications to export defence equipment to either side in the Iran/Iraq conflict are scrutinised with the utmost care, taking full account of the extent to which they might exacerbate the conflict.There is no absolute definition of what constitutes lethal or non-lethal equipment, but in judging whether or not to permit supply ships to be exported we should take into account what they were designed to carry, whether they were to be armed or not, and whether they were likely to be engaged in the conflict.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list the embassies or high commissions based in London which currently have in excess of four diplomats in post with the notified description of defence or military counsellor or attaché or assistant military attaché, indicating the actual number in each case; and what restrictions he places on sending states with which the United Kingdom has correct but cool relations who wish to seek agreement for such diplomats.

The embassies or high commissions are:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list the embassies or high commissions in London which currently have in excess of three diplomats in post with the notified description of cultural counsellor or attaché, or assistant cultural counsellor or attaché, indicating the actual number in each case; and what restrictions he places on sending states with which the United Kingdom has correct but cool relations who wish to seek agreement for such diplomats.

The embassies or high commissions are:

	Numbers
China	4
Egypt	4
France	5
Saudi Arabia	8
Turkey	4

It is not our practice to place restrictions on such appointments, for which the sending state does not need to seek agreement, even if relations with that state are correct but cool. But we keep the overall size of all missions, including new appointments to them, and the activities of members of their staff under continuous review.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list, for each year since 1974, by name and embassy, all persons with diplomatic status or diplomatic immunity notified to his Department under Article 10 of the Vienna convention who have been either killed or seriously wounded through non-accidental causes, such as shooting or explosions, while in post in the United Kingdom

The information is as follows:10 April 1977

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will identify by country and number the 52,155 British nationals currently registered in middle eastern countries.

Yes. The information requested is as follows:

	Numbers
Bahrain	4,105
Iran	79
Iraq	1,607
Kuwait	5,831
Oman	5,117
Qatar	5,460
Saudi Arabia	22,104
United Arab Emirates	7,121
Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen	85
Yemen Arab Republic	646
	52,155

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide details of local authorities' housing capital expenditure and capital receipts in 1983–84, both generally and for each local authority.